


Can We Always Be This Close?

by WellGoodLuckWithThat



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, jealous sibling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WellGoodLuckWithThat/pseuds/WellGoodLuckWithThat
Summary: Prompt: Hi. I’m not sure if you’re still doing prompts but could I possibly have one (set in the future) of Lexi being super jealous of her siblings (Jola have a toddler and Ballum have two twin babies via surrogacy) so she keeps getting annoyed and angry until Ben (cause he knows what being the elder sibling is like) reassures her she still special etc and won’t be forgotten. The classic jealous older sibling fic please.ORLexi is jealous of her new siblings and needs some reassurance.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell, Jay Brown & Callum "Halfway" Highway & Ben Mitchell & Lola Pearce, Jay Brown/Lola Pearce
Comments: 1
Kudos: 85





	Can We Always Be This Close?

**Author's Note:**

> Just wanted to say a huge huge huge thank you to everyone who has read, liked or commented on my other Ballum fic – after so long not writing it’s lovely to see I haven’t completely forgotten how to create a coherent story :’) I almost didn’t write this as I have lost some confidence in my abilities to write, but I’ve found myself extremely sick and bed-bound (disclaimer: I do not have Coronavirus!), so why not spend some time flexing my fingers and creating some lovely Ballum content. 
> 
> Prompt: Hi. I’m not sure if you’re still doing prompts but could I possibly have one (set in the future) of Lexi being super jealous of her siblings (Jola have a toddler and Ballum have two twin babies via surrogacy) so she keeps getting annoyed and angry until Ben (cause he knows what being the elder sibling is like) reassures her she still special etc and won’t be forgotten. The classic jealous older sibling fic please.

“Come on then, Lex.” Callum calls from the bottom of the stairs. “We’re gonna miss the whole film at this rate.” He exaggerates, grinning at his not-officially adopted daughter as she appears on the landing, wrapped up in the new woollen coat she had insisted was a vital purchase to her dads when they had been to the market a few weeks prior.

Lexi rolls her eyes, and Callum is once again reminded just how similar the little girl was to her pain-in-the-arse father. “Relax. They show trailers for about alf’ an hour.” She tells him as she descends the stairs.

Callum ruffles her hair fondly when she reaches him, and she let’s out a little huff, but the small smile on her face tells Callum that she doesn’t really mind. “Ya’ gonna love this one, Lex. It’s about this girl who goes to school an’ that, but she’s a secret agent on the side.” The taller man tells her excitedly.

Lexi laughs at him. “Yes, I know Cal. You’ve told me about 50 times. I don’t actually believe we’re seeing this one for me anymore.” She teases, knowing full well that Callum is a sucker for silly films directed at teenage girls.

“Well, unfortunately guys and gals none of us will be seeing anything. Not tonight at least.” Ben appears, shoving his arms into his coat and holding up his phone. “That was Frankie. Looks like we’re about to become parents again.” He tells Callum, trying to act nonchalant; which would work if Ben wasn’t radiating nervous energy and a twinkle in his eye.

“What!? Now!?” Callum exclaims, excitement taking over his features like a wave. “Oh my God. Right, okay, uhm… we need to get the baby stuff. Ben… start loading the car. I’ll call Kathy and see if she can have Lexi…”

Lexi scowls at the mention of her name. _‘So you do remember me then?”_ She thinks, folding her arms and slumping down to sit on the bottom stair. Tonight was going to be the first night in months that she was getting her dads all to herself. No mention of any babies. No mention of baby-proofing or childcare or doctor’s appointments or any of the rubbish she had to put up with ever since Ben and Callum had decided to adopt. Don’t get her wrong, she was initially thrilled to be becoming a big sister again after her mum and Jay had Jamie, but it wasn’t long before the new babies pushed her well and truly out of the spotlight. 

“Isn’t that exciting, Princess?” Ben snaps her out of her sulk. “Next time ya’ see us, you’ll have a new brother an’ sister!” He grins, ruffling her hair as Callum had done previously. This time she didn’t smile.

“Yeah. I’m ecstatic.” She mumbles in a monotone voice, rolling her eyes as the men greet her grandmother at the door, all hugs and exclamations.

“You boys better get to the hospital. Don’t worry about things over here, I’m sure me and Lex will be just fine with an evening in.” Kathy assures them as they hurry out the door juggling two baby carriers and a bag full of clothes and toys. “Now then.” She starts as she turns to face her granddaughter. “Shall we get the room all set up for your new siblings?” She asks brightly.

Lexi frowns and stands up. “No thanks.” She says moodily, and she starts taking off her coat. “Think I’m gonna stay in my room.” With that, the blonde teenager turns and stomps back up the stairs, leaving Kathy to wonder if it was something she said with a confused frown.

<>

“They’re back!” Lola squeals as she jumps backwards from where she was peering through the curtains for any sign of her new extended family. Jay grins at her as she skips over to the front door to welcome the new chaos, and he carefully deposits his and Lola’s little boy in his playpen with a quick kiss to his forehead. 

“Lexi!” Jay calls up the stairs. “There’s people down here for you to meet!” He tells her, before returning to the front room to watch his son.

“Let me see, let me see!” Lola coos as Ben and Callum approach the steps to the house, each holding a baby carrier with all the caution they could muster.

Ben gives her a tired yet beaming smile. “You’ve never been so pleased ta’ see me.” He quips, dodging out the way of Lola’s swatting hand. He lifts the carrier in front of him so he can get through the door. “Move over and let us all in then. Plenty a’ time for snugglin’ once we’re all inside. Preferably sitting down.” He says, carefully lifting the little bundle wrapped in blue through the threshold and into his dad’s old home.

Callum is a little more appreciative of the reception and leans in to give Lola a one-armed hug as he gingerly moves the second bundle wrapped in yellow through the door. “Don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous for such an extended period of time, y’know?” He laughs, recalling the 30+ hours that he and Ben had holed up in the maternity ward of Walford General waiting to greet their new children.

Once inside, Ben and Callum placed each carrier onto the floor and bent down to pick up their respective babies. “So.” Ben starts, his expression swimming with pride. “Auntie Lola, Uncle Jay… it is with extreme pride that I introduce you to Mr Dylan Stuart Mitchell-Highway.” The shorter man holds up the little boy as if he were in the Lion King, and Callum tuts him and thanks Lola for rescuing the tiny baby as she rushes forward to hold him. 

“Oh, Ben, mate. Callum…” Jay starts as he moves over to where his fiancé is cradling the new-born. “He’s gorgeous.” He moves to crouch over the baby and makes silly faces, whilst Lola coos over his tiny fingers. 

Ben grins at his husband who beams back, still cradling their other latest addition. “Before you use up all of that affection…” Callum starts. “I think you need to meet Miss Evie Louise Mitchell-Highway.” He tells them, holding his precious bundle with all the pride of a father. 

“Oh my God, guys…” Lola sighs, tears forming in her eyes as she gazes at the little girl, smiling at Jay as he moves to hold her from Callum. 

Callum wraps an arm around Ben’s shoulders when the baby is safely deposited into her Uncle’s arms and gives him a fond squeeze. “This is everything I ever wanted.” He breathes quietly into Ben’s good ear. 

Ben smiles up at him. “Me too.” He leans upwards for a lingering kiss as Jay and Lola take their new children over to the playpen to introduce them to Jamie. “Speaking of everything I ever wanted… where’s my big girl?” Ben calls out loudly so that Lexi can hear him upstairs. 

“I did call her. Must’ve had her headphones in.” Jay mentions, before turning his attention back to the kids. 

“Lexi!” Ben hollers up the stairs. “Come and meet your new siblings!” He tells her, smiling as his eldest appears on the top step. “Better tell em’ what’s what early on, ey?” Ben grins, lifting his girl off the step as though she were still 6. Lexi squeals in laughter despite herself.

She walks into the lounge just as Lola is finishing speaking. “…it’ll just be so great, all of them growing up together!”

Lexi rolls her eyes but manages to catch her expression as Callum pulls her into one of his bear hugs. “Hi Princess. Sorry about the movie the other night. Don’t think these two could wait to meet ya!” He grins a big sunshine smile, and Lexi can’t help but smile back at her other dad. 

“Introduce me then.” She states, marching over to where Lola is now holding Evie, and Jay holding Dylan. 

Once Lola and Jay had introduced her to her new half-siblings, she sits down on the sofa a little unsure what to do with herself. Inside his playpen, Jamie reaches through the netting to grab at her. “Do you want to hold them, Lex?” Ben asks his daughter, carefully taking Evie from Lola and holding her out to Lexi. 

“Uhm. No.” Lexi states firmly, jumping up off the sofa and backing away from the baby. “I… I’m actually not feeling very well.” She tells them as she takes in the confused expressions on her four parent’s faces. 

“Oh God, Lex you should’ve said.” Lola starts, and Lexi is triumphant in the fact she is finally getting some attention too. “You can’t really be around the babies, not if you’re sick.” She tells her worriedly. 

_‘Of course.’_ Lexi thinks sourly. _‘Because the babies are the most important thing.’_

“That’s fine.” She responds. “I’m going to my room anyway.” With that, the girl turns on her heel and flounces back up to her room without a second look. 

As the room turn their attention back to the new babies, Ben frowns in the direction of his older child. “She’ll be alright.” Callum whispers to him. “Just a lot to adjust too init?” He rubs a hand on his arm reassuringly, strokes Evie’s cheek and makes a move to steal his son back from Jay. 

“Yeah…” Ben trails off, not being able to shake the feeling that his too-stubborn-for-her-own-good daughter just might not shake this off quickly. 

<>

Over the next few weeks, things didn’t improve as much as the new parents had hoped. Lexi was moody and sarcastic at the best of times, but having to share the spotlight with three younger siblings was clearly not helping her pre-wired Mitchell attitude problem. It’s not that she didn’t love her two brothers and sister, but nobody ever seemed to care about spending any of their time on her anymore. It had been months since she’d been shopping with her mum, and Friday games night had been completely abandoned in favour of chaotic bedtime routines. Not to mention the fact that she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep ever since Ben and Callum brought the babies home. Nothing made her seethe more than listening to her respective dad’s whispering love and sweet nothings into the ears of the twins when they had just wailed their way into her precious beauty sleep. Lexi sighs as she slumps into the lounge like a zombie, rubbing sleep from her eyes and throwing herself on the sofa.

“Ya’ kidding me.” She says to herself as she takes in the TV screen currently playing a series of nursery rhymes. Jamie giggles at her from his spot in his walker, and she does feel a pang of fondness for her little brother. “Y’alright aren’t ya’ Jam?” She asks him. “I can switch this over, yeah? No need to make a fuss.” She tells him brightly, reaching for the remote control and switching over to MTV. There was a beat where she thought she had gotten away with it, and then…

Jamie’s loud wail drowned out the sounds of Nev and Max talking to their latest Catfish victim on the television and brought with it the hurried footsteps of a worried Lola. “What is it? What’s happened?” She asks as she dashes over to Jamie and lifts him from his walker, inspecting him for any possible injuries. 

Lexi rolls her eyes. “Nothin’ mum.” She tells her grumpily. “I just wanted to watch something other than Mr Tumble.” The teenager sighs, flicking the remote over towards her mum with a sigh. 

Lola relaxes when she hears nothing major had happened to either of her two babies. “Oh, I’m sorry Lex, but you know how he gets.” She sympathises, switching the channel back to CBeebies. “Anyway, you used to love Mr Tumble.” She jokes, placing Jamie back into his chair and turning to smile at her daughter. 

“Yeah, well I don’t anymore.” Lexi snaps. “I’m 13, mum. Not a kid.” She snipes, folding her arms with a huff. 

“Oi, missy. Less of the attitude please. You’re right, you are 13 and you should be a more caring big sister. Why not try singing along with Jamie and playing with him?” Lola scolds her, not particularly surprised at the outburst given that she is half of Ben Mitchell, but shocked that something as silly as this had caused her to be moody. 

“Maybe I would play with Jamie more if I actually had some sleep… oh wait. No chance of that happening with those stupid babies wailing the roof off every night!” Lexi exclaims, rising from the sofa in agitation.

“Lexi Pearce!” Lola cries. “Those _babies_ are your little siblings. What’s gotten into you, lately?” She asks with confusion edged with anger at her daughter’s eruption. 

“Nothing. Just go back to fussing over Jamie, like you always do.” Lexi tells her childishly, before stomping out of the lounge and back up the stairs to her room. 

Lola winces as she hears her door slam. 

<>

“Who’d ave’ thought it, ay?” Callum says softly to Ben, as they sit cuddled together on the sofa one evening, Dylan and Evie asleep in their arms. 

Ben grins at him. “Ah, ya’ mean when you were pretending ya’ didn’t wanna jump my bones every time ya’ saw me?” He jokes, smiling at the way Callum huffs out a laugh and looks downwards. 

“Coulda’ put it in a nicer way but… yeah.” Callum agrees, looking down into his lover’s eyes and wondering for the umpteenth time how he got so lucky. 

Ben’s eyes soften at his response, and he leans up to steal a quick kiss. “Mad, init?” He sighs, letting his case fall to their sleeping children. “Never thought I could have this.” He says quietly. 

Callum presses a kiss to his temple. “Well ya’ stuck with us now. And that includes Stuart.” He jokes, nudging Ben as he pretends to groan. Truth be told, Ben and Stuart had been getting on like a house on fire; as much as they liked to pretend they still couldn’t stand each other. Not to mention the fact that Stuart was utterly besotted with his new niece and nephew, and had even taken Lexi out to the park on numerous occasions. 

“One big family.” Ben confirms, a slightly sadder smile on his face. “Shame my dad didn’t wanna be a part of it.” He sighs, staring at Dylan’s sleeping form and acknowledging there was not a thing on Earth he would not do for his kids. 

“Hey.” Callum nudges him again. “Phil Mitchell is missin’ out big time.” He tells his husband firmly. “Ben, I am so so proud of ya’. You’re a brilliant father, to Lexi, and to these two. You’re an amazing uncle to Jamie and ta’ Peggy. You’re a loving husband; ya’ take care of all of us without all that hardman bullshit that ya’ dad used to demand of ya’. You’ve made it, Ben. You’ve made it without ‘im.” Callum wills him to understand, to believe how much he is loved by all of them. 

“Well, I do definitely take care of ya’ in the bedroom.” He jokes, throwing a quick smirk over to Callum, who rolls his eyes. Ben’s expression turns serious. “Thank you.” He says earnestly. “I love ya’, Cal.”

“I love ya’ too.” Callum grins at him and rests his head on top of Ben’s as they settle into a comfortable silence. 

“I need ta’ talk to Lexi don’t I?” Ben says suddenly, breaking the cosy atmosphere with a long-suffering sigh. “This parenting lark ain’t all that easy after all is it?” He quips again, only half joking. 

Callum gives him a tight smile. “It’s gotta’ be hard for her. Having four doting parents one minute, then having a quarter of that attention the next.” He reasons. “I hope she never thinks I love her any less now.” The taller man frowns, as if he had only just considered the prospect. 

It was Ben’s turn to nudge him. “Hey. Don’t be stupid. She knows you adore her just as much; you’re her daddy Callum.” He reminds him with a soft smile. “I’ll talk to her though. She needs to know things will get easier; trust me, I’ve been the older sibling in a family who really do favour the younger ones… or anyone they don’t consider a huge disappointment really.” Ben gives a self-depreciating smirk, and Callum gives him a soft kiss in response. “I never want Lexi to feel like we don’t love her the same as these two, or any others we end up having.” The younger man explains, rocking Dylan as he stirs in his arms. 

Callum raises his eyebrows. “Any others?” He questions. “Just how many do ya’ reckon we’ll be havin’?” He asks, a hint of teasing to his tone. 

“Oh with you, Callum Highway, I’ll have hundreds.” Ben responds, fluttering his eyelashes up at his husband. 

Callum laughs at him quietly, careful to wake Evie as his chest rumbles. “Let’s get these two past the terrible two’s first, then we’ll talk.” 

“Deal.” Ben sighs happily, letting his head fall back onto Callum’s shoulder as he closes his eyes, a smile of content dancing across his face. 

He’ll speak to Lexi as soon as he get’s some sleep. 

<>

“Hey, Princess, get your coat on, we’re going out.” Ben tells Lexi a few days later, as Callum settles the twins down for a nap, and Lola and Jay return from a toddler class with Jamie. 

Lexi frowns suspiciously. “Why? Where are we going?” She asks her dad, slowly rising to her feet. 

Ben chuckles at her suspicion. “I’m not gonna’ kill ya’ Lex.” He jokes, ruffling his daughter’s hair. “It’sa’ surprise anyway. Get ya’ coat on.” He demands, giving her a gentle push towards the front door.

Lexi still frowns at him but goes to put her coat on. “Is Callum coming?” She asks, one arm through the arm-hole. 

“Fraid’ not, Lex.” Callum tells her, appearing from the twin’s bedroom and padding down the stairs. “Someone’s gotta look after this pair. You go an’ enjoy some time with ya’ dad, and we’ll have chicken pasta for tea, yeah?” He tells her, following in Ben’s footsteps and ruffling Lexi’s hair again. 

She huffs as she moves to straighten it for a second time. “Okay… dunno why everyone’s being weird but fine.” She agrees, shoving her feet into her Ugg boots and fastening the belt on her coat.

“Anyone would think you’re takin’ her to a murder house or summat.” Callum jokes as he bumps into Ben in the kitchen. 

Ben moves to grab Callum around the waist as he get’s a mug out of the cupboard. “You sure ya’ gonna be okay with them on ya’ own?” He asks, sliding his hands underneath the open hoodie Callum is wearing. 

“We’ll be fine, babe.” Callum reassures him. “I’ve got Lola and Jay on hand in case things get crazy, but I really ain’t worried. Go and have fun, yeah?” The taller man tells him, reaching down and putting his hands either side of the younger mans face and kissing him firmly. 

Ben nods after being momentarily stunned by the passionate kiss. After all these years Callum still had the ability to knock him off his feet. “Are we leavin or are you gonna snog in the kitchen all day?” Lexi asks them sassily, appearing suddenly in the doorway with her eyebrow raised. 

Callum lifts his hands off Ben’s face and holds them in the air in mock surrender with a chuckle, as Ben steps away from his husband. “That’s us told!” He exclaims, moving over to leave with Lexi. “See ya’ later, Halfway.” He winks at the other man before steering his daughter through the house. “See ya’ in a bit!” He calls out to Lola and Jay before slamming the front door behind him and Lexi. 

This had been all Callum’s idea. All four of Lexi’s parents knew that it was important for her to realise she was still joint first in all of their hearts, but they had all agreed it was best that Ben had the chat with her. After all, he was Lexi’s biological father, and it was he and Callum who brought the two twins into their lives and made Lexi feel left out in the first place. It made sense for them to have some alone time. 

“So come on, where we goin’ dad?” Lexi asks again once Ben has given directions to their driver and clambered into the back of the taxi with her. 

“You’ll see when we get there won’t you?” Ben responds with a mischievous grin. He lets out a chuckle when Lexi rolls her eyes at him. “About time we had some fun together, isn’t it?” He nudges her, smiling a little more softly. 

Lexi smiles back at him with bright eyes and nods, returning to staring out of the window to try and guess their destination. Around 20 minutes into the destination, Lexi’s eyes light up. “The fairground!? Is that where we’re going, dad?” She asks him excitedly. 

“You got me.” Ben holds his hands up in mock defeat, grinning widely at his daughter’s excited squeal. _‘Thank God for Callum’s ideas.’_ He thinks to himself as Lexi throws her arms around her dad and squeezes him tight. 

The pair jump out of the taxi when it slows, and Ben hands over the cash to the driver before walking to catch up with an excitable teenager. “Dad… can we get candyfloss!?” She yells back to him as they approach the gate. “And you have to come with me on all the scary rides!” Lexi tells him. 

Ben grimaces. “Yes to the candyfloss and we’ll… we’ll think about the scary rides.” He responds, staring worriedly at the tallest ride in the fairground and starting to wish he had dragged Callum along. “Scary rides are usually Cal’s job baby.” He reminds her, recalling their last trip to a theme park with a fond smile. Callum was the biggest kid at heart and had loved going on all the big rides with Lexi. 

“Well daddy Callum isn’t here.” Lexi states firmly, not loosing the angelic smile from her face. “That means you’ll have to do it, daddy.” 

With that, she skips towards the queue that has formed outside the kiosk to get into the ground and gestures for Ben to hurry up. The older Mitchell just laughs fondly and follows to meet his daughter in line. It was gonna be a long day… but he couldn’t wait for it.

<>

“Get that down ya’, we’ll have to head back soon.” Ben tells Lexi as he hands her a hot chocolate stuffed full with marshmallows. “And please do not tell your mother about all the sugar.” He adds, wincing at the thought of a Lola meltdown. 

Lexi grins back at him, candyfloss from earlier still stuck to her cheeks. She hugs the teddy bear her dad won her closer to her chest and sips on the chocolatey drink. “Thanks dad.” She says sweetly, spooning a melted marshmallow into her mouth with glee. 

Ben laughs at her as she dribbles the drink down her chin. “You had a good day with ya’ old dad, then?” He asks her, using a napkin to wipe the chocolate smear.

“Yeah. Missed this.” Lexi tells him innocently, licking at her stirrer. Ben’s heart breaks a little at the words. 

“Me too, baby.” He says. “I’m sorry things have been different lately. I know how tough it is when your parents suddenly have other kids to focus on, but it doesn’t mean we love you any less.” Ben tells her, watching his little girl with love shining from his eyes. 

“It’s just been a bit… hard, y’know?” Lexi tells him honestly, refusing to bring her eyes up to meet with her dad’s. “I love Jamie, Dylan and Evie… I really do… I just… it’s hard.” She frowns at her cup, watching as the marshmallows melt into slime on top of the drink. 

Ben reaches over and places a gloved hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. “You’ll always be my little girl, Lex.” He says honestly. “I love all of you equally. Being a big sister means taking the backseat for a while, just whilst we get settled with the babies. It never ever means any of you are loved any less, okay? Me, your mum, Uncle Jay and Daddy Callum all love you to pieces, baby. You are the glue that made us a family… and family? Well, family means everything.” Ben looks into his daughter’s teary eyes with his own and leans forward to kiss her on the forehead. 

Lexi swallows the lump that has formed in her throat. “A…and… Callum?” She starts to ask. Ben cocks his head to the size quizzically. “Callum ain’t gonna forget about me now he has his own, is he?” Lexi knows in the back of her mind she’s being silly, and that Callum would never forget about her, but she needed some reassurance. 

“Baby. Callum worships the ground you walk on.” Ben tells her earnestly before huffing out a laugh. “You have that man wrapped so far around your little finger I think you could kill _me_ and he’d help ya hide the body.” He jokes, squeezing Lexi’s cheek playfully. 

Lexi gives a little giggle at that. “I dunno, dad. He’s wrapped pretty far around your little finger too.” She grins. 

“Well, us Mitchell’s, we’ve clearly got something over that Callum Highway, ay? Reckon we can use that power to get an extra portion of chicken pasta tonight?” Ben jokes in response, all teary eyes cleared and swimming with mischief instead. 

“I reckon so.” Lexi agrees, the same glint of mischief mirroring in her blue eyes. “Let’s go back home. I want to give Callum his teddy.” She says, holding up the smaller teddy that she had won on a coconut stall. 

“Come on then, sausage.” Ben grins, taking his daughter’s hand and leading her out of the fairground. 

<>

“Honey, we’re home!” Ben calls out jokingly as he and Lexi bundle through the doorway with a huge teddy bear wrapped tightly in the younger girl’s arms, a smaller one tucked between her elbow. 

Lola switches the TV off as they walk into the living room. “How was it?” She exclaims, grinning as Lexi clambers to give her a hug and show her the huge teddy. “Did ya’ have fun?” She asks her daughter. 

“Did she ave’ fun!?” Ben exclaims, heading towards the kitchen for Callum. “She was with me, Lo… the fun doesn’t know where to stop.” He tells her, before gifting Callum a lingering kiss and slapping his arse as he goes to get a glass of water. 

“Jay’s just putting Jamie down for the night.” Lola tells them both as she frees Lexi from their squeeze. 

“Are the twins in bed yet?” Lexi asks excitedly. She settles her giant bear onto the sofa. 

Callum returns from the kitchen, wiping his hands on his jeans from where he’d been preparing dinner. “They’re due a feed in a minute actually. Did ya’… did ya’ wanna help, Lex?” Callum asks hopefully, wondering how well his daughter’s conversation with her other dad had gone. 

Lexi grins at him. “Yes please! I want to tell them all about our day at the fair!” She exclaims rushing forward to give Callum a hug. “Look what I won you!” Lexi exclaims, thrusting the smaller teddy bear up into the taller man’s chest. 

Callum practically lights up like a Christmas tree. “You won this for me?” He asks, turning to look at Ben for confirmation. Ben just holds his hands up and points to Lexi. “Well I’m touched, Lex. Why don’t ya’ tell me how you won him as we feed Dylan and Evie, ay?” He grins at the little girl and takes her to the kitchen to prepare the milk. 

“Whatever you did, Ben Mitchell… I’m impressed.” Lola smirks at him as Lexi and Callum leave the room and are out of earshot. 

Ben grins back at her. “What can I say? I’m super-dad.” He tells her, causing Lola to roll her eyes and mumble something about modesty. 

“- and daddy bought me an ice-cream, and some candyfloss, and then we had hot chocolate with marshmallows as well-“ Lexi could be heard excitedly telling Callum about her day as they walked through the hallway and up the stairs. 

Lola turns to face Ben with an incredulous glare. “Really? She had ice-cream, candyfloss and hot chocolate?” She exclaims, annoyance painting her features. 

Ben had the good grace to look sheepish. “You forgot about the marshmallows…” He quips before dashing out of the room and following his husband up the stairs. He put’s his finger to his lips as Lola starts to follow, an argument on her lips. “Shh. Jamie… sleeping. Can’t wake him.” He whispers to her, before backing upwards towards the landing. 

Lola scowls at him from the bottom of the stairs. “Just you wait till’ your other two are old enough Ben Mitchell.” She threatens, before shaking her head and returning to the lounge. 

She guessed she couldn’t be too unhappy… not when for once things were all just so… perfect.


End file.
